The Cycle of Mai
by Marie Graham
Summary: Oliver Davis had her figured out. He knew everything about her, from the length of her stride to the bounce of her hair. But there was one thing that perplexed the great scientist, the simple process that made her so unique. Sadness, then anger, then happiness. He knew what it was, he didn't know the 'why'. He couldn't figure out the Cycle of Mai. Until he went through it himself.
1. Stage 1

**AN: This is the first of three chapters, each representing one of the steps in the cycle. Please review, I want to know what you think! And I know that it is short, but hopefully the next one will be longer. Enjoy!**

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Oliver Davis had her figured out. He memorized the length of her stride, the bounce of her hair, the average number of times she called him a 'narcissistic jerk' per day during the month of January- 18.372, if you must know. She waits 13 seconds for him to thank her for the tea before she gives up and storms off. He can recall every single time her life has been in danger, as well as the unpleasant feeling that came with it.

There was one thing, however, that continued to perplex him. It was not her recklessness or her persistence. It was neither her knack for trouble nor her ability to turn his nice, quiet office into a noisy cafe for the irregulars. No, he was confused about that simple process that made Mai Taniyama so uniquely herself. He's seen it happen multiple times, he knows what it is. Oliver "Naru" Davis, for all his bragging that his brain works differently, despite receiving his doctorate before reaching the age of 17, could not for the life of him figure out the "why" of it all. _Why_ she gets so sad, then so angry, then happy once more. He simply could not understand the cycle of Mai.

That is, until he went through it himself.

* * *

Stage 1: Sadness

He started right for all the wrong reasons. Oh yes, he was most definitely sad about the death of Gene. But he had already gotten that out of system for the most part. This was a different kind of sad; while the first had been an agonizing grief, coupled with the overwhelming loss of his twin, this newfound sadness was a numbing melancholy, blinding him to all happiness.

Naru should have been glad to be back in London, back with his family and the original SPR. He should have been ecstatic, if that is even possible for a man such as our dear Naru, that there were no irregulars making a ruckus outside of his office, there at the invitation of his clumsy assistant. He should have been relieved that nobody lingered for 13 seconds longer than was necessary after delivering his tea- Earl Grey, but not as good as _hers_.

So many "should have been"s, but he wasn't.

He was upset he was never given any interesting cases to investigate in London just because he was the youngest employee. He was desperate for the sense of familiarity brought by the previously constant sound of Matsuzaki-san and Takigawa-san's endless bickering. He was becoming more and more melancholic every day due to not having her grace him with her presence for 13 extra seconds. He was careful to keep all this developing despondency hidden underneath his normal expressionless mask, but there will always be a few people who can never be fooled.

Namely, Koujo Lin, Mori Madoka, and Luella Davis. Bad things come in threes, as they say.

"Noll," his assistant started, his voice wavering slightly in hesitation. His charge looked up, catching the slip in manner. Lin's face, though he has been getting more sleep since the return to England, seemed almost dead, not even the usual slight flicker of amusement present in his visible eye. "Your mother, Madoka and I have noticed ... a shift in your demeanor. You aren't acting like you. You aren't drinking as much tea, for one, and when you do, you're always complaining about it. Madoka claims to know why." _There_. That flash, hinting at deeper knowledge than what he implies he has. He wouldn't admit it to his face, but he had his own suspicions as to the reason for Naru's attitude change.

"Oh? And what, pray tell, would that be? Lin, you two may be... _involved_, but you should know better than to get caught up in her childish fantasies." Naru sighed, going back to his book, glancing up once more when he felt Lin's presence come nearer. Knowing he would not be able to find any peace right now, he snapped his book shut and placed it none too gently on his small, unimportant desk.

"What did she say to you, Noll?" He knew that his assistant wasn't referring to his mentor, but Mai. Lin was never one to dance around a subject, instead preferring to get straight to the point. "More importantly, what did you say to her in reply? Something had to have happened for you to be so upset right now."

That day's events flooded into his mind, but one scene immediately arrived at the front. She claimed that she liked him, in a special way, but she was wrong. There was no way in his scientific mind that she liked him. She was mistaking him for Gene. But even then, that look of utter shock when he asked that tiny question, _Me or Gene?_, was seared into his memory permanently, scarring him. Reminding him that even when he was at his best, he would never be good enough for her.

_Gene would be, though. _That small thought that crept forward, so seemingly harmless, wreaked havoc upon his brain. That sadness, so innocent, turned into a scarier type of unrest, even farther still from that ideal state of joy. He was furious now, at himself, for deigning to hurt her precious soul in his own selfishness. At her, too, for fooling herself into believing that she loved him. And- a horrifying realization occurred- at Gene, his departed twin, for taking what should not have been his.

Thus, the first stage became the second.


	2. Stage 2

**AN: Here is chapter 2! Next up will be the final stage, Happiness, and then it will be done. But I may or may not write a sequel... :D**

**Anyways, enjoy the second chapter, and don't forget to review!**

**EDIT: Added in a line break where I accidentally forgot one. This will make this chapter more understandable. **

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Stage 2: Anger

It was times like these where everybody under the employment of Martin Davis thought to themselves, "Gee, I should probably stay home today. Oliver is in a bad mood." If any one of them was foolish enough to report into work anyway, they would surely run back home upon seeing Dr. Oliver Davis. And if that wasn't enough to deter them, then they were Mori Madoka.

She was standing outside his office, her patience decreasing at an alarming rate. She knocked on the door a twelfth time, before sighing and breaking it in. Her eyes widened as she stepped inside. She had never known her student to be so disorganized, and so upset.

Naru was pacing back and forth in front of his destroyed desk, his hands repeatedly clenching and relaxing. His mouth was set into a thin, hard line, and objects were floating all around him. He turned his glare towards his mentor who was standing on top of the fallen door. "What," he said through his gritted teeth, "do you want, Madoka? As you can see, I am not in the mood to be bothered by you today. Or any day, for that matter."

Madoka carefully stepped closer towards the raging man, avoiding the items around her head. "Naru, You need to calm down. Please! You're going to exhaust yourself if you keep using your PK." She got close enough to place her hands on his shoulders. "Naru, I know you're upset, but what would Mai think if she saw you right now?" That seemed to do the trick, as he visibly relaxed.

Naru sighed, the tension slowly being released. "Does it really matter what she thinks, though? She only sees me as her narcissistic boss, nothing more. She's seen me upset befo-" he was cut off as Madoka started to correct him.

"No, not like this, she hasn't. She's seen you frustrated, she's seen you slightly angry, but she has never seen you in this state before. Ever. And also, are you really so delusional to think that she doesn't love you? Honestly, Naru. I've only met her a few times, but even _I_ can tell that she is crazy about you! You've never had a problem accepting the fact that girls tend to have things for you before, so what's the issue now?" She wanted to slap him, but she knew that Luella probably wouldn't take kindly to her doing that.

Naru glared at her again, becoming more agitated by her persistence. "It's because she is in love with Gene, alright? Now leave me alone!" He pushed her hands away, and stepped past her to leave the chaotic office. He stopped short, though, as he heard Madoka burst out into laughter. "What is so funny now?"

It took her a minute to be able to calm down enough to tell him, but even then, her breath came out in short, ragged gasps. "It's just- that you think that Mai- is in love- with- _Gene_! Oh, god, that is- that is so hilarious!" She suddenly sobered up, and turned to face Naru. "Honestly though, Naru, why on earth would you think that? He's dead, wouldn't that be considered necrophilia?"

"It's because she fell in love with what she thought was 'Dream Naru', who was actually Gene. He was her spirit guide." Naru was frustrated- how could she not see that he was right?

"Naru, your brother was right. You really are an idiot scientist." At his offended glare, she continued. "Listen. Just because he's the nicer one doesn't mean she fell in love with him. Was he there when she was in danger? No. Did _he _protect her from a collapsing roof? No! She fell in love with _you, _Naru, because _you_ were always there for her! Did you ever realize that maybe it was because Gene was her spirit guide that she fell in love with you? She noticed all the good qualities that he had, and began to appreciate it more when you displayed any form of positivity!" Deciding against her better judgement, she stormed over to him and knocked him upside the head. "Get your act together, kiddo. She likes you. And I'm thinking that you should go back to Japan, right now, and let her tell you that." With that final remark, she walked smoothly out of the room, leaving a shocked Naru staring after her.

"What just happened?"

* * *

"Listen, mother, I know that you want me to stay here in England, but I really need to-"

"I know. And sure. Whatever you need, sweetheart. You go back and get that girl, okay honey?" Luella smiled softly at her remaining son. It's true, she did want him to stay with her longer, but she also knew that he needed that assistant of his. Lin and Madoka had already confronted her about the situation, and they bought tickets to Japan for Naru and Lin. Madoka wanted to go as well, but Luella needed her best friend to stay and comfort her as she watched her baby boy go off to find love. She handed him one of the tickets. "Lin already has his, and he's waiting for you out front. Your plane leaves in 2 hours. Now go get her!" She pushed him out the door of the sitting room, and locked him out, despite his protests and shouted questions. She laughed gently, and smiled. Her little boy was all grown up.

As Naru walked through the halls, he noticed everybody giving him a knowing look. _Damn Madoka and her big mouth_, he thought as he neared the front entrance. Just like Luella promised, Lin was waiting for him, with all of their stuff already in the cab outside. Apparently, Lin had packed for him, knowing that this would happen. Naru refused to make eye contact with his assistant, and reverted to the silent treatment.

Lin chuckled. "Stop pretending, Noll. I know you're happy that you're going to see Mai again. To be honest though, I wish that Matsuzaki-san and Takigawa-san weren't part of the deal. I could do without hearing them arguing. I also think that it would be nice to not have Hara-san bothering you all the time."

Naru continued to ignore him, though he silently agreed. One of Lin's statements rung especially true with him, to his great surprise. He wasn't angry anymore. He felt carefree, and it was all he could do to keep the smallest of smiles off of his stoic face. He was happy- no, that wasn't the word. Joyous. Like he could do anything. Which he practically already can, considering he's a world-renowned psychic, but this was a better feeling than that of fame. He felt in love. His control slipped, and a small grin appeared on his features.

Lin sighed in relief. "So glad to see that this ridiculous cycle is up. It was strangely similar to Taniyama-san's behavior," he muttered, too quiet for Naru to hear.

As they stepped on the plane headed towards Japan, the second stage became the third.


	3. Stage 3

**AN: Wow, here it is! The third and final chapter. This one is much longer than the others, and I'm incredibly pleased with how it turned out. This chapter is ****_slightly_**** more Mai-centric. Thank you to all of the sweethearts who followed and favorited this story- it means a lot to hear that people enjoy my writing. I had a lot of fun while writing this fanfic, and I hope you had just as much fun reading it! Until next time, sweethearts.**

**-Marie Graham**

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Stage 3: Happiness

"Would Mai Taniyama please come down to the front office for an early dismissal?" The intercom asked over the meaningless chatter of the high school classroom. Keiko and Michiru looked at their best friend in confusion, and were met with the same expression. Mai hadn't had an early dismissal since she worked for Naru- who she now knew to be Dr. Oliver Davis, the esteemed professor of parapsychology. She sometimes helped out John with his cases- maybe he needed her. It was odd, though, as he usually waited until after the school day ended to ask for her assistance.

Mentally shrugging, she collected her belongings, and turned in her worksheet at the front of the classroom with the promise to finish it the next day. Once she got down to the office, she looked around for John, but with no luck. There was nobody in the office besides her and the new secretary. Mai glanced questioningly towards aforementioned secretary.

She shrugged, stating, "Yeah, some guy came in here and said he would be waiting for you outside. He's pretty handsome, mhm. You should go check out there," she pointed her perfectly manicured nails towards the parking lot. "But he didn't say he was related to you, so be careful, kid."

Mai was about to ask what he looked like- hey, she couldn't just _assume_ that it was John- but the secretary was already on the phone with one of her friends. She stalked outside, muttering about the obvious unprofessionalism, and searched for John's face. _And it was kinda weird how that secretary called John 'handsome'_, she thought. _Cute? Yes. Adorable, of course! But not handsome. That's more Naru's style._ Her face scrunched up in annoyance at the memory of her former boss' extreme case of narcissism, but relaxed when she heard somebody calling her name. It was strange, however- she couldn't quite identify the voice, but it wasn't John's.

She tried to pin it to a face, but was frozen as the voice whispered in her ear, "I sincerely hope you didn't lose more brain cells while I was gone, Mai. I thought that at least _you_ of all people would be able to recognize my voice. I guess I overestimated you." Mai turned around with a shriek, and ended up face to face with Oliver Davis. His eyes captivated hers- and she instantly thought back to the day she first met him. She could easily recall the way he scared she and her friends. Michiru and Keiko were instantly all over his pretty face, but she noticed something they didn't- his eyes weren't smiling. But now they were, and she couldn't look away. It was very reminiscent of Gene, only better, because he was _Naru_. She was in love with the man standing directly in front of her, and it couldn't have been more clear that she would never love anyone else. As she stared into his cobalt eyes, he spoke once more. "You know, Mai, I believe you still owe me an answer."

She was startled out of her reverie by his words, and cocked her head in a request for clarification. _An answer to what, exactly? Nothing remains to be said. You broke my heart, idiot. _"What is there for me to answer? I told you I liked you, and then you insinuated that I was in love with your dead twin brother." She huffed and turned away, very ready to go back and finish her classwork.

But she stopped when Naru chuckled. "'Insinuated'? That's a big word. Are you sure you know what it means?" When Mai spun around with a death glare on her face, he grabbed her arms to keep her from hitting him, and continued to speak. "If I recall correctly, Mai, I didn't _insinuate_ anything. I did ask you a question, however. And now I want you to answer it. Me? Or Gene?"

Her features fell as he repeated that dangerous phrase, the very phrase that tore her apart. "Naru..." She didn't understand- did he come back to Japan just to get an answer from her? He really shouldn't care that much about her feelings towards him. Unless... "Naru, do you _like_ me?" His reaction was priceless- his jaw dropped like a child getting caught sneaking down late at night for more food. "Ha! I was _so_ right! You like me, you like me," she sang, dancing around his taller figure.

"Mai, just answer the question," he growled as soon as he regained his composure. He wrapped his arms around her moving form, and pulled her close to him. "Me, Mai? Or Gene?"

She giggled, breathless from dancing around so much. "You, of course, you idiot scientist. It was always you. I don't know why you ever thought it would be Gene. I mean, he's dead! Isn't that, like, necrophilia or something?" Naru winced as he recalled that Madoka had said nearly the exact same thing. Mai calmed down as she stood in his arms. "Naru," she started softly, leaning her head against his chest, "why didn't you give me a chance to tell you that before you left?"

Naru remained silent, choosing instead to pull her even tighter against him. A few minutes passed before he finally spoke, releasing the tension he had so carefully held in for 6 months. "I... I was scared. I didn't want to hear you choose him instead of me, and so I decided to not hear you at all. It wasn't until Madoka hit me that I realized how idiotic that was of me." He sighed. In that breath was the fear he had let go, and in the next breath in was the love he had been so desperate to find.

Mai was in shock. The eternally stoic Narcissistic Naru-chan, scared? That was definitely not something she was expecting to hear. She wasn't expecting an answer at all, in fact. To have him admit to being afraid was an act of immeasurable trust, with the knowledge that she was not going to leave him. He had placed his faith in her heart, and that action filled her with incredible joy. She smiled, and gently placed her small hands on each side of his face. "Naru, thank you." She leaned in, and pressed her lips against his. She felt him tense underneath her hands, but as she remained where she was, he relaxed, and then gradually started to respond. Mai smiled into the kiss, and eventually pulled away. That innocent kiss, so sweet and perfect, had changed everything. His smirk after it ended was filled with love instead of superiority, and that look was all she needed to start again with a much more prominent sense of urgency.

Naru felt even more elated than he had been on the way back to Tokyo. As much as he hated being wrong, for once in his life he was grateful to have been so. And for the first time since Gene was killed, Naru smiled. Not a slight one, like he had given Mai once before, but a full on smile, with teeth showing.

* * *

The entire SPR family was gathered once more outside of Naru's office. Everything was the same, but for one small detail. This time, their cold boss had joined in the conversation, and not to tell them to be quiet or leave. He had sat down and was talking comfortably with the irregulars, his arm around Mai's shoulders. Naru was quickly caught up on all that had happened since he left- Takigawa had adopted Mai, Mai and Masako were somehow great friends, and Ayako and Takigawa were now dating. It was familiar and (somewhat) safe, with Yasuhara flirting with Takigawa, Takigawa freaking out, and Ayako hitting Takigawa in the head with her purse. Currently, everyone was listening to Lin telling the story of Naru's emotional distress while he was in England.

"And now he's back, and my whole family is back together again," Mai finished for him, grateful to Madoka and Lin for bringing him back to her. She paused, with her fingers resting on her chin, and seemed to have a revelation. "That's it! I knew that sounded familiar!" Her smile was aimed towards Naru with a teasing edge to it. "Hey Naru, remember when we were in the sewer and you explained how you knew I was feeling better again? You said I was depressed, and then I got angry, until I was finally happy again? Well, that's exactly what you went though!" She started giggling, and fell across his lap, sprawled on top of the couch. He looked contemplative at her clever observation, and nodded.

"Hm. I suppose you're correct, Mai. I must have subconsciously mimicked your behavior. You've rubbed off on me. I need to go check if my IQ has lowered any since I've been around you." He flicked her forehead gently, and smiled down at her.

"Naru-bou, I expect you to treat my daughter with all the love and respect she deserves, you got it?" Takigawa threatened with a spark in his expression. He didn't want him to break his jou-chan's heart again, even though it was highly unlikely for that to happen, considering they have everything sorted out now.

"Of course, Takigawa-san. I wouldn't even dream of mistreating her. It would mean you killing me, and then I would have to deal with Gene's nagging all the time. So I think I'd prefer being with Mai." The monk was evidently pleased with this answer, and he sat back in his chair.

Naru looked at the clock, and stood up, pushing Mai off of his lap. "I'm sorry to leave this _delightful_ conversation so soon, but I really must get back to work on the request forms to make this an official branch of the original SPR." He went into his office, and just before he shut himself in, he smirked. "Oh, and Mai?"

"Yes, Naru? What do you need?" She asked, standing up from her position on the couch.

"Tea."

And in that instant, as Mai ranted about how much of an insensitive jerk he was and how _you can't just order your girlfriend around like that, Naru, _Oliver Davis finally understood the Cycle of Mai.


End file.
